FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. — Inter Miami captain Lionel Messi urged the team to stay strong and remain united after losing 3-0 to in-state rivals Orlando City at Chase Stadium on Sunday night.
The result makes it five losses in the last seven games for Miami, which has conceded 20 goals since the first leg of the Concacaf Champions Cup semifinal series against the Vancouver Whitecaps on April 24.
“[We need to] keep going. It’s a complicated time,” Messi told Apple TV after the game. “But we’ll all stay united. We’re a team in difficult times, because when everyone wins, it’s easy, but now that difficult times are coming, that’s when we have to be more united than ever, be a true team, and move forward, because we have what it takes.
“Think about what’s next and prepare for the next game.”
The team last won on April 27, defeating the New York Red Bulls 4-1 on May 3 before suffering two losses and one draw. Miami is sixth in MLS’ Eastern Conference standings.
Head coach Javier Mascherano reiterated the captain’s message during his post-match press conference, emphasizing it’s not the time players to start pointing figures.
“When you are in this dynamic, if we each start pulling ourselves to the side it’ll be impossible to overcome the moment,” said Mascherano. “It’s clear that we must overcome this all together because clearly this team has shown, especially at the beginning of the season, what they are capable of.
“Right now, I take full responsibility. I will not point out any players publicly, I am not that way. No one enters the pitch trying to have a bad time or to suffer. Every player tries to do their best with virtues and errors, and now we have to try to get the best out of these players to move forward.”
Mascherano added the team tried to take risks tonight to offset Orlando City’s strengths, but ultimately a couple of errors led to the defeat.
The Miami coach said before the game he remains optimistic about the future after alluding to a potential extension to Messi’s contract, which expires at the end of the season.
Inter Miami will now shift the focus to next Saturday’s match against the Philadelphia Union at Subaru Park.
